Jakarta becomes world’s largest urban centre with 42 million: UN report

Jakarta has become the world’s largest urban centre, with a population approaching 42 million, according to a new report by the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA).

In 2000, Tokyo was the world’s largest city, but its slower population growth over the last two decades—combined with rapid expansion in Indonesia and Bangladesh—has pushed it down the rankings. Both Jakarta and Dhaka (now nearly 37 million) have overtaken Tokyo’s 33 million residents.

Dhaka Poised to Become World’s Largest City by 2050

The UN report projects that Dhaka will become the world’s largest city by 2050, while Tokyo’s population is expected to decline, reflecting Japan’s shrinking and ageing demographic profile.

Asia Dominates the Global Megacity Landscape

The report highlights that nine of the world’s 10 most populous cities are in Asia. Cairo, Egypt, is the only non-Asian city in the top 10.

Elisa Sutanudjaja, director of the Rujak Centre for Urban Studies in Jakarta, said the rankings confirm what urban experts have long understood — that Jakarta’s true population has surpassed Tokyo’s “for years” due to rapid urban expansion.

Challenges for Jakarta

Jakarta’s enormous population brings daunting challenges:

• Severe traffic congestion
• Air pollution
• Frequent urban flooding
• Poor coordination among multiple local governments

Indonesia announced plans in 2019 to move its capital from crowded Java to Nusantara in Borneo. However, the project is behind schedule and struggling to attract sufficient investment.

Global Urbanization Trends

Cities were home to 45% of the world’s 8.2 billion people in 2025, up from 20% in 1950, the UN report notes.

The number of megacities—urban areas with more than 10 million people—has grown dramatically from 8 in 1975 to 33 today. Of these, 19 megacities are located in Asia.

Top 10 Most Populous Cities (2025, UN DESA)